MV-14F Super Hornet
The Multi-Mission VTOL-14F Super Hornet is a updated version of the AV-14 Hornet that served during and after the Human-Covenant War. The modernised Hornet now features improved systems, with heavier armour, titanium flooring to prevent bullets penetrating the base of the cockpit or jump-seats. The engines were also improved, providing a much faster, more agile and nimble platform. The most important changes are to the weapon systems. While overall, they can carry slightly less ordnance than the early model, it can carry a wider range of ordnance. on the underside of the jump-seats are four light pylons. Its TADS/PNVS system has been widely increased with new friend foe identification, thermal imagers, advance decoy rejection and computer assisted targeting systems. Otherwise, it is has changed little from the original Hornet. The Super Hornet is used as a special insertion vehicle for regular and special forces, being capable of landing in much tighter and smaller landing zones than the larger Merlin dropship. The Hornet can then go on to provide close in support, with enough firepower to support the disembarked units. The Super Hornet can also be used as a special purpose transport and insertion vehicle for special forces, but also crew recovery and as a firing platform for sniper teams. Due to their small profile and high agility, they are also often used for low altitude Suppression of Enemy air Defences (SEAD) missions against enemy forces. They can also be massed as escorts for larger Pelicans and Merlin dropships during close assault missions. Armour The 's airframe is constructed from a basis of superplastic-shaped diffusion-adhered metal matrix composites. These light, oxidation resistant light-matrix composites are formed from high modulus and high strength gold doped zirconium oxide fibres and a titanium/aluminium laminate matrix, formed by heat bonding layers of titanium, aluminium and titanium aluminide, forming high strength crystal matrices, the results forming a high strength, yet flexible and light airframe. The skin is formed from four layered plates attached to the frame. The inside layer is a high strength carbon nanotube nanobud mesh composite, which does not melt on re-entry and protects the ship and occupants. Above this is a environmental layer, which regulates internal and external heat, preventing layers from outright melting or freezing, and protecting the occupants. The third layer is a resin bonded layer of structural titanium aluminide with a titanium mesh insert. The fourth layer is a outer layer of AEGIS tiles, built on a non-newtonian shock absorbing layer, providing thermal and oxidation protection. The cockpit is situated in titanium-AEGIS compound armoured 'tubs'. These give limited protection against enemy fire. The windscreen is bullet-proof diffusion-bonded self-regenerating stretched-acrylic, with a coating of liquid glass, with a variable electronically controlled gold tinted setting, which protects it from solar rays, laser dazzles and electronic interference. These give limited protection against enemy fire. The skin is painted with thermal diffusing paint, heat controlled hull to generate a black body exterior, infra-red suppressors on the engines, RADAR absorbent paint, liquid glass composites and LASER absorbent laminates, which when compounded with its stealth design, gives it excellent stealth abilities. Crew The Hornet is crewed by two people, the pilot, who has primary weapon and flight controls, and the co-pilot, who has the TADS/PNVS slaved directly to his helmet, and can identify targets, engage them with weaponry and operate the defensive systems. On each side of the cabin are the jumpseats, with two cables which can be used for rappelling to the ground. These are locked to the hull and function as grips for embarked crew yo hang on, then when hovering it can be used to rappel to the ground, with the first descended operator hooked on and following operators rappelling. Operators are hooked on by carabiners during flight to ensure their safety, even with the grips on there. They can wait in a standing r sitting position safely. Though military doctrine dictates that two to three crew members per jump seat is a maximum, unloaded Hornets can carry four, even five servicemen in emergencies, though the pilot must be careful to ensure their safety. Role The MV-14F Super Hornet is used for a variety of purposes by the UNSC, being used by both the Marines and Army for regular and special operations. In most regular formations, the Super Hornet is used as both and gunship, flying low altitude, close air support missions, being capable of operating in close quarters knife fight ranges typically associated with cities and urban terrain, or operating in low altitude attack missions over mountainous terrain. Its other major role is that of tactical insertion missions, being able to quickly, quietly insert troops into positions too difficult to reach by normal methods. In regular forces, it is used in massed formations, often escorting larger dropships. In special operations units, they are regularly painted black and used in support operations, providing close support, insertions and platforms for sniper support. Weaponry The Super Hornet, as standard, is armed with two AIE-486I Heavy Machine Guns embedded in th wings. These have limited traverse, linked to the pilots helmet, allowing him to engage targets that are higher or lower than the axis of the Hornet, without having the manoeuvre the entire body of the aircraft. Slung under the two jump seats are a pair weapon pylons, giving a total of four. These weapon pylons can mount a variety of weapons for air to ground attack or air to air defence. It can fit two missiles to a pylon, including any mix of AGM-76 Firefox anti-tank missile, AGM-204 Gauntlet SEAD missile, AIM-11 Gorgon SRAAM, AIM-21 Quicksilver SRAAM. On a single pylon it can mount a battery of four AGM-111 Shamrock missile for low cost anti-vehicle fire. It can also mount four ASR-54 Fortune rockets in a single pod, or seven ASR-34 Chimera rockets in a pod. It can fit AIE-486I HMG, M41B LAAG or a M638 autocannon on any of the pylons, giving it the ability to operate in a variety of roles. The Super Hornet has the ability to carry two resupply pods behind it, between the jump pods. These can be dropped from a low altitude safely, or dropped from higher altitudes to land or parachute to the ground. It can carry a single larger supply pod as well, but this affects the air speed and agility. This allows forces to carry more equipment with them, or be resupplied in the field. Sensors The primary sensor of the Hornet consists of a forward facing AESA RADAR, used mainly for terrain mapping and target location. this gives it a low observable, but extremely capable RADAR. The co-pilot has access to the Target Acquisition and Designation Sights, Pilot Night Vision System. This gives the co-pilot a linked full-colour camera, hybridized night vision/thermographic sight, laser receiver/designator and LIDAR. This allows the co-pilot to spot and track targets, and engage them with missile weaponry. This also gives the Hornet excellent observation capability. Its got all round infra-red/optical sensors to detect incoming threats and increase situation awareness, a RADAR receiver and missile warning system, giving the crew excellent situational awareness. It also has a Magnetic Sensor, for observation and non-line of sight target acquisition. Engines The engines of the Super Hornet consist of two Rolls Royce turbofan engines, providing the majority of the power of the vehicle and the forward thrust, and two vectored thrust engines. These engines are implanted at the end of the stub wings, where the end of the wings rotate forward and backward to accommodate the engines. Inside this, the engines rotate on six axis inside the wing, allowing the engine unparalleled agility. Through the computer assisted flight system, the Super Hornet can maintain supreme agility at all times, being caapble of minute manoeuvres that allow it to avoid both enemy fire and terrain. Countermeasures UNSC Remarks Images Image:Hornet.jpg|Two Sangheilli ride on the jumpseats of a Hornet piloted by a SPARTAN. File:Hornet_missile.png|A Hornet armed with air-to-ground missiles Category:UNSC Aircraft